We present a new method to transform the spectral pixel information of a micrograph into an affine geometric description, which allows us to analyze the morphology of granular materials. We use spectral and pulse-coupled neural network based segmentation techniques to generate blobs, and a newly developed algorithm to extract dilated contours. A constrained Delaunay tesselation of the contour p...

We investigated the effects of water and ethyl acetate extracts of Citrus unshiu peel (Aurantii Nobilis pericarpium) on hepatitis C virus (HCV) absorption in MOLT-4 cells (a human lymphoblastoid leukemia cell line). By reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), we showed that both the ethyl acetate layer of Citrus unshiu peel extract and fraction 7 decreased HCV absorption in MOL...

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel (Panel) reviewed the safety of 10 silk protein ingredients, which function primarily as skin and hair conditioning agents and bulking agents in cosmetic products. The Panel reviewed relevant data relating to the safety of these ingredients and concluded that 8 ingredients are safe in the present practices of use and concentration in cosmetics, a...

The extracellular development in vitro of the avian malaria Plasmodium lophurae is favored by addition to the medium of coenzyme A at 0.05 mM. Coenzyme A can be replaced by dephospho-coenzyme A and to some extent by phosphopantetheine, but not by phosphopantothenoylcysteine or by phosphopantothenic acid. The activity of the two former precursors results from their conversion to coenzyme A by en...

Since plant polyphenols have many beneficial properties on health, the aim of this study was to evaluate potential use a phenolic wine extract, by-product production, for skin care HaCaT cells. In these studies, significant reduction reactive oxygen species formation in cells and severe elastase inhibition observed. contrast, extract caused major increase lipase activity. The showed no influenc...

In this study, the culture medium and fermentation modes were studied aiming to improve cell density of Bacillus clausii. Firstly, factorial design method using Minimum Run Resolution IV was used evaluate relative importance components growth The results showed that three peptone, yeast extract malt significantly affecting bacterial biomass. Then, optimization these ingredient concentrations a ...

Random numbers represent a fundamental ingredient for secure communications and numerical simulation as well as to games and in general to Information Science. Physical processes with intrinsic unpredictability may be exploited to generate genuine random numbers. The optical propagation in strong atmospheric turbulence is here taken to this purpose, by observing a laser beam after a 143 km free...

Brewing has been mentioned in history as early as Egyptian times and has continued on to the present day with relatively few changes to the basic recipe. Malted barley is the main ingredient, which, when milled and heated in water to extract its nutrients, provides a nourishing sugarand protein-rich solution named wort (pronounced wert), an ideal medium in which yeast may grow and ferment. In c...

Synthetic pyrethroids are synthesized derivatives of naturally occurring pyrethrins, which are taken from pyrethrum, the resin extract of dried chrysanthemum flowers. They were introduced to provide a less hazardous and less persistent alternative to organochlorine and organophosphate insecticides. They are among the safest insecticides available on the basis of their low acute toxicity to mamm...